Accused In Two Rapes, Firefighter ‘Not Guilty’

A former Waycross city firefighter accused of rape by two women was found not guilty in in Ware Superior Court Wednesday on one of the counts, and the jury deadlocked on the second count.
Lawton Michael Lee was accused of raping a woman on July 1, 2014. And another woman lodged an accusation that he raped her on Aug. 6, 2015. Lee was indicted on both charges in one two-count indictment.
His jury trial began early in the week with Judge Michael DeVane presiding.
The verdict was announced at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Brad Collins, who along with Jeffrey Parker, represented the defendant, said the jury was out for a short time when a note was sent to the judge saying they had reached a unanimous not guilty verdict on Count 2 but that they were deadlocked at 6-6 on Count 1.
DeVane encouraged the jury numerous times to try and reach a unanimous verdict on Count 1, but after much deliberation, the jury was still deadlocked and DeVane reckoned it would remain so. Six jurors called for a not guilty verdict while the other six voted guilty.
Said Collins: “Ending with a hung jury, it will now be up to the District Attorney whether to proceed with another trial on the Count 1 charge.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant DA Charles Watkins, Collins said.